Basic disk cloning

Sometimes it is necessary to transfer all the disk data onto a new disk. It can be a case of expanding the system volume, starting a new system layout or disk evacuation due to a hardware fault. In any case, the reason for the Clone basic disk operation can be summed up as the necessity to transfer all the source disk data to a target disk exactly as it is.

Acronis Disk Director Lite allows the operation to be carried out to basic MBR disks only. To plan the Clone basic disk operation:

1. Select a disk you want to clone.

2. Select a disk as target for the cloning operation. 3. Select a cloning method and specify advanced options.

The new volume structure will be graphically represented in the Disk management view immediately.

It is advisable that you deactivate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (p. 257) (ASRM), if it is active, before cloning a system disk. Otherwise the cloned operating system might not boot. You can activate the ASRM again after the cloning is completed. If deactivation is not possible, choose the As is method to clone the disk.

10.6.2.1

Selecting source and target disks

The program displays a list of partitioned disks and asks the user to select the source disk, from which data will be transferred to another disk.

The next step is selection of a disk as target for the cloning operation. The program enables the user to select a disk if its size will be sufficient to hold all the data from the source disk without any loss. If there is some data on the disk that was chosen as the target, the user will receive a warning: “The selected target disk is not empty. The data on its volumes will be overwritten.”, meaning that all the data currently located on the chosen target disk will be lost irrevocably.

10.6.2.2

Cloning method and advanced options

The Clone basic disk operation usually means that the information from the source disk is

transferred to the target “As is”. So, if the destination disk is the same size and even if it is larger, it is possible to transfer all the information there exactly as it is stored at the source.

But with the wide range of available hardware it is normal that the target disk would differ in size from the source. If the destination is larger, then it would be advisable to resize the source disk volumes to avoid leaving unallocated space on the target disk by selecting the Proportionally resize volumes option. The option to Clone basic disk “as is” remains, but the default method of cloning will be carried out with proportional enlargement of all the source disk volumes so that no unallocated space remains on the target disk.

If the destination is smaller, then the As is option of cloning will be unavailable and proportional resizing of the source disk volumes will be mandatory. The program analyzes the target disk to establish whether its size will be sufficient to hold all the data from the source disk without any loss. If such transfer with proportional resizing of the source disk volumes is possible, but without any data loss , then the user will be allowed to proceed. If due to the size limitations safe transfer of all the source disk data to the target disk is impossible even with the proportional resizing of the volumes, then the Clone basic disk operation will be impossible and the user will not be able to continue.

If you are about to clone a disk comprising of a system volume, pay attention to the Advanced options.

By clicking Finish, you'll add the pending operation of the disk cloning.

(To finish the added operation you will have to commit (p. 192) it. Exiting the program without committing the pending operations will effectively cancel them.)

Using advanced options

When cloning a disk comprising of a system volume, you need to retain an operating system bootability on the target disk volume. It means that the operating system must have the system volume information (e.g. volume letter) matched with the disk NT signature, which is kept in the MBR disk record. But two disks with the same NT signature cannot work properly under one operating system.

If there are two disks having the same NT signature and comprising of a system volume on a machine, at the startup the operating system runs from the first disk, discovers the same signature on the second one, automatically generates a new unique NT signature and assigns it to the second disk. As a result, all the volumes on the second disk will lose their letters, all paths will be invalid on the disk, and programs won't find their files. The operating system on that disk will be unbootable.

You have the following two alternatives to retain system bootability on the target disk volume: 1. Copy NT signature – to provide the target disk with the source disk NT signature matched with

the Registry keys also copied on the target disk.

2. Leave NT signature – to keep the old target disk signature and update the operating system according to the signature.

If you need to copy the NT signature:

1. Select the Copy NT signature check box. You receive the warning: “If there is an operating system on the hard disk, uninstall either the source or the target hard disk drive from your

machine prior to starting the machine again. Otherwise, the OS will start from the first of the two, and the OS on the second disk will become unbootable.” The Turn off the machine after the cloning operation check box is selected and disabled automatically.

2. Click Finish to add the pending operation.

3. Click Commit on the toolbar and then click Proceed in the Pending Operations window. 4. Wait until the operation is finished.

5. Wait until the machine is turned off.

6. Disconnect either the source or the target hard disk drive from the machine. 7. Start up the machine.

If you need to leave an NT signature:

1. Click to clear the Copy NT signature check box, if necessary.

2. Click to clear the Turn off the machine after the cloning operation check box, if necessary. 3. Click Finish to add the pending operation.

4. Click Commit on the toolbar and then click Proceed in the Pending Operations window. 5. Wait until the operation is finished.